Recreational Cocaine use in Three Australian Cities

Abstract

Recreational, non-dependent cocaine users (n=73) were contacted in three Australian cities during 1986-7 using snowball sampling. They completed questionnaires on a variety of topics, were then interviewed about drug use. Compared with the general population, respondents were disproportionately young, well educated, unmarried, metropolitan, and non religious. They were ‘liberal’ on a variety of issues and supported fringe or ‘left’ political parties. Respondents showed no pattern of pathology on health and well being indicators. They scored low on institutional integration measures (family, party, church, etc) but high on informal aspects (friends, colleagues, etc). Respondents used a wide range of licit and illicit drugs and were initiated into cocaine use later than other drugs. Cocaine was principally consumed by ‘snorting’ and used as a ‘party’ drug. Users reported controlling their use, with few problems, but acknowledged the existence of dangers and usually knew someone who had experienced problems from use.

Key Words:

• Cocaine
• recreational drug use-snowball sampling